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Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and reading abouth the Scientific Exploration Society (SES). Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity. So please dig deep and donate now. Please note when funding is taken to support humanitarian aid on an Scientific Exploration Society (SES) expedition each expedition team member – whether doctor, engineer, scientist, or “goafer” pays for their own travel, food, accommodation and insurance – the funds raised are never spent for this purpose. Photographs will be taken, where appropriate, and can be forwarded to donors upon request so that they can see for themselves how their money has been spent and the good that has come from their donation and the efforts of the Marathon Team.    Donors can also visit the SES website at <a href="http://www.ses-exploation.org/">www.ses-exploation.org</a> or phone 01747 853353 or email Lucy Thompson <a href="mailto:Lucy@ses-explore.org">Lucy@ses-explore.org</a>   THE SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION SOCIETY   The British-based Scientific Exploration Society (SES) was founded in 1969 by Colonel John Blashford-Snell and his fellow expeditioners after their successful navigation of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia.   An international fraternity was formed whose ambitious expeditions include the first continuous North-South 4-wheel drive transit of the Americas through the Darien Gap and the Zaire River Expedition: the first descent from source to sea by a large multi-national team.   The SES founded Operation Drake, followed by Operation Raleigh (now Raleigh International); the largest projects to date ever to run expeditions, enabling tens of thousands of young people to develop their leadership skills whilst engaged in community aid and scientific research.   Today the Society specialises in scientific research and humanitarian aid projects in remote areas of the world; organising global expeditions on land and by sea, giving approval and support to projects organised by members, associate members and universities.  A keen advocate and supporter of research, conservation, education, community and medical aid, the SES is still one of the leading proponents of innovative expeditions.   A short summary of how the Society has spent Marathon funding in the past:  In 2003 sponsorship went to a small community of Amerindians, the Wai Wai tribe located in a remote part of Guyana in South America, whose village had been swept away by floods.  In 2004 saw three London Marathon entrants complete the run for aid projects in Bolivia, including medical equipment for local hospitals, refurbishing a children’s ward and the reconstruction of a water pipeline.   In 2005 sponsorship supported a medical centre in Ethiopia serving a local population of about 7,800 people – before SES assistance the centre had no running water, no electricity and the medical theatre was a small bare room with minimal sanitation.  SES installed a water system, a sustainable generator, provided extra medical equipment, redecorated and cleaned up the entire building.     In 2006, Mongolia received aid in the form of oxygen concentrators to a clinic and educational aids to local schools.  To provide sustainable aid SES was asked to help fund development of two books highlighting the delicacy of the southern Gobi eco system.  The books were completed, printed and provided to schools and local nomads to show them how best to preserve their environment.   These are the types of projects which marathon funds have supported, I hope you will by now have a pretty good idea of the type of work the SES undertakes – their aim is to provide sensible, sustainable help which addresses specifically identified needs within extremely remote communities.    To leap forwards, in 2011 a new venture was started: The Scientific Exploration Society Bursary. The aim of the Bursary is to encourage and support new young explorers who are planning specific scientific, educational or humanitarian projects which, in the opinion of the Trustees, reflect the spirit of scientific exploration and enquiry and the inspirational, pioneering values of the SES.  The Bursary will receive a yearly percentage allocation of a maximum of ⅝ of total funds raised in the marathon, a sum dependent on the amount which may be required for community aid projects that year.  2012 Sponsorship  Plans may change of course, but if all goes well we would like to spend the funds you raise in 2012 in three main areas:  Ecuador, Bolivia and Iraq, as well as on The SES Bursary.  As I write, our representative from Colombia, Yolima Cipagauta, is in the UK working with us for six weeks.   Yoli recce’d the two expeditions to Ecuador and Bolivia with Colonel John Blashford-Snell in Spring this year.  Above all, Yoli was struck by the poverty of one community in Bolivia called “6 August” which was recently flooded to such an extent that the inhabitants simply had to move away.  Having relocated they have practically nothing, literally only that which they could carry.  Sponsorship you raise will be spent helping this village as a priority.  The Expedition Leader to Iraq is SES Trustee, Mike Laird. He has advised of a real need for completion of a water project in a local school in Basra, High-a-neea.  He writes “High-a-neea is based in a modern building with great toilets but they simply ran out of money to build a tower, put a tank on it and get a pump, pipes and wiring. I have priced the finishing works at £687. If this is too much I can tell you that to buy their water tank will cost about £185”.       Mike is also hoping to raise funding to help the local community build a traditional mudhif in the Iraqi central marshes for the benefit of the local community.  These are of immense cultural importance and diminishing in number.  (Definitely worth a Google if you have time.)  Please note that although the projects above have been thoroughly researched they may still alter considerably before the expeditions take place.  All community aid projects must be presented to the SES Council for authorisation by the charity’s Trustees before any expenditure is made.  If you would like further information please contact Lucy Thompson <a href="mailto:Lucy@ses-explore.org">Lucy@ses-explore.org</a> or on 01747 853353 or at the SES website <a href="http://www.ses-explore.org/">www.ses-explore.org</a>

Gareth's London Marathon 2012 Challenge

Gareth's London Marathon 2012 Challenge

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Donation summary